San Jose Mercury News, Calif., Dan Gillmor Column.(Originated from San Jose Mercury News, Calif.)

Sep. 3--Apple Computer Inc. put Macintosh clone makers and customers on hold this summer as it pondered whether to continue licensing the Mac operating system to other companies. On Tuesday, as it bought key assets from clone maker Power Computing Inc., Apple made its direction abundantly clear: It cannot abide competition in the Mac marketplace.

Apple's clone-curbing is undoubtedly rational from the new management team's point of view. But it's sad news for consumers -- and another step toward marginalization of the Mac as we know it.

The anti-clone moves further consign the Mac to several relatively small but still-important niches of users who…